Device for receiving objects discharged from containers



Aug. 25, 1970 .1. H. MOSTERD 3,525,195

DEVICE FOR RECEIVING OBJECTS DISCHARGED FROM CONTAINERS Filed may 17, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR JACOB H. MOSTERD BY 0y ATTORNEYS g- 25, 1970- J.. H. MOSTERD 3,525,195

DEVICE FOR RECEIVING OBJECTS DISCHARGED FROM CONTAINERS Filed may 17, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet s 9 if J] J l) I J l lL J i"\Ll INVENTOR JACOB H. MOST'E RD BY. J

ATTORNEYS Aug. 25, 1970 4 J. H. MOSTERD 3,525,195

DEVICE FOR RECEIVING OBJECTS DISCHARGED FROM CONTAINERS Filed May 17, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet L5 INVENTOR JACOB H MOSTERD ATTORNEYS Aug. 25; 1970 J. H. MOSTERD 3,525,195

DEVICE FOR RECEIVING OBJECTS DISCHARGED FROM CONTAINERS Filed May 17, 1968 4 Sheets-:Sheet 4 INVENTOR JACOB H. MOSTERD ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,525,195 DEVICE FOR RECEIVING OBJECTS DISCHARGED FROM CONTAINERS Jacob H. Mosterd, Stationsweg 117, Barneveld, Netherlands Filed May 17, 1068, Ser. No. 730,028 Claims priority, application Netherlands, May 19, 1967, 6707010 Int. Cl. B65b 57/10 U.S. Cl. 53-61 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to a catching means positioned intermediate the row-wise arranged discharge locations for containers in an automatic discharge machine, for instance for package purposes, said catching means being adapted to catch the objects dropped by the containers at a level above the level they would have in the packages, said catching means further being provided with automatic means for transferring the objects towards a receiving device such as a package after receipt from the containers of the last object of a row.

The invention relates to a device for receiving a number of objects discharged after each other in a row, provided with a number of containers movable along a predetermined path, means for causing the containers to discharge, and a support for a receiving device for the objects.

Up to now it has been usual that the receiving means, e.g., an egg-tray or a package, has been placed immediately under the containers at the location where the latter discharge and that the objects after having been discharged fall into the receiving device. This has the disadvantage that the drop height is relatively large. Apart from the fact that a large drop height in itself can already be a disadvantage, e.g., for breakable or vulnerable objects, like eggs and some kinds of fruit, difficulties arise owing to a relatively large drop height, when the containers move relatively fast, because, in that case, the path followed by the objects during the discharge, is dependent on the velocity of motion of the containers, which velocity, e.g., with the starting and stopping of the machine in no way is constant. Owing to this the possibility exists that the objects do not arrive at the right place in the receiving device. The chance hereof of course increases with the drop height.

In order to limit the drop height it was already suggested (vide US. patent application Ser. No. 579,332) to construct the containers so that they immediately move upward after the discharge. This makes it possible for the lower part of the containers to be positioned at a level which lies below the highest level of the discharged objects. A difliculty remains, however, in tnat, after the last object of a row has been discharged, the next container has to pass on towards the first discharge location. Therewith neither the container nor the object present in it may come into contact with the row of objects that have already been discharged. This means that the row of objects that have already been discharged has to be removed with a large speed, which generally is diflicult, because herefore relatively large masses (e.g., a conveyor-belt for the receiving device) have to be actuated.

According to the invention the above mentioned ditficulties are solved by catching means arranged above the said support, which means catch the objects after the discharge from the containers at a height that lies above the height-position, which they should take in the receiving device placed on the support, which catching means are "ice provided with a discharge mechanism for discharging the objects received by them into the receiving device.

Hereby it is obtained, that the drop height can be very small, but that after the last object of a row has been discharged and the conveyance of the objects from the catching means is started, the objects can be rapidly conveyed to a lower level. For the shifting of the support of the receiving device to a position, in which another row of objects can be received, consequently a period of time is available, which can be identical with the time required by the next container to reach the first discharge location.

According to a further elaboration of the invention it is provided that the discharge mechanism is coupled with each of the catching means for a row of objects so that these catching means discharge simultaneously.

Because the transfer of the objects from the catching means into the receiving device takes place at the same time, relatively simple constructive means can sufiice, because the same movement can be used for the achievement of said transfer for all objects of the row.

When the containers have been constructed such, that they themselves cannot hit an earlier discharged object, as is known in itself from the above mentioned patent application, the drop height can be made very small by providing according to a further elaboration of the invention that the height of the catching means is such, that the objects after their discharge into the catching means take a height position with which their upper sides lie above the lower sides of the objects still present in the containers.

When applying the invention the discharge of the objects from the catching means can take place gradually, with which it is a considerable advantage, that the horizontal speed of the objects has already been reduced to Zero. The catching means can also be used in a way known in itself for shifting the objects in horizontal direction, e.g., when the distance, they have to take mutually in the final receiving device, does not correspond with the distance between the locations, where the containers discharge.

It is also possible to couple the support for the receiving device with a lifting means for subjecting it to a driven vertical displacement. By this the movement of the objects from the catching means into the receiving device can take place quickly and in a controlled manner, e.g., by having the support for the receiving device moved from a relatively high position to a lower position at the moment the receiving means discharges.

Further characteristics and details of the invention will appear from the description of an embodiment, with which I refer to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a side view of a container in cooperation with a discharge device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of a device according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 in the same view as FIG. 1 gives a more complete impression of the machine; and

FIG. 4 shows a schematical top view of a sorting machine, provided With the invention.

In the drawing with I a container is indicated, having a column 1, which by means of balance arms 2 is connected with a supporting member 3, which is guided in fixed guides 3' and with the help of a continuously working driving means (not shown) can move perpendicular to the plane of drawing of FIG. 1. A counterweight 2' exerts an upwardly directed force on column 1, owing to which the guide roll 7, which has been mounted at the end of a swivel arm 6, is kept against a fixed guide 8. A dis6charge member 9 has been attached to the swivel arm A number of discharge abutments 10 has been mounted on a shaft 10'. The discharge abutments 10 can be 3 brought into two positions, viz the position shown in FIG. 1 with solid or traced lines, in which position they lie outside the path described by the discharge members when columns 1 move and the position shown in dashed or interrupted lines, in which they are lying inside said path.

As described in the copending application for a device for successively discharging containers moving behind each other, US. patent application Ser. No. 730,282, the discharge members are successively from the left to the right set into the position drawn in FIG. 1 in dashed or interrupted lines by the control members presentat the containers, by reason of which the successively arriving containers in FIG. 2 discharge from the right to the left. The present invention relates to the catching and transfer of the discharged objects 5. Herewith it is only of importance that with the discharge of an object at the discharge location, positioned in FIG. 2 outermost to the left, the switch 17 is closed.

The closing of the switch 17, which (vide FIG. 3) has been included in the exciting circuit of an electromagnet 18, causes said magnet to withdraw a ratchet 18' from the shoulder of a ratchet wheel 19. Said ratchet wheel is subjected to a continuously working torque, e.g., by means of a nonshown slip coupling, so that when withdrawing the ratchet 18 the ratchet wheel 19 starts carrying out a revolution. A cam 20 has been connected with the ratchet wheel 19, and rotates with the latter. Cam 20 engages a follower roller 21, which is mounted at the end of a two-armed lever 22 with a fixed pivot center 23. With a rotational movement of the cam 20 the lever 22 is swung counterclockwise, by which a link 42 is shifted to the left. Said link is connected with a link 43, which has a fixed pivot center 44. A shaft 47 is mounted to the link 43, which shaft supports for every discharge location an arm 46 that is freely rotatable between the position drawn in traced lines and the position indicated in interrupted lines (FIG. I), the right hand end 46' of arms 46 being U-shaped. Each arm 46 bears a counterweight 45, which keeps it in the position shown in FIG. 1 in traced lines.

Opposite the arms 46 fixed downwardly sloping pins 46" are mounted. The parts 46' and 46" form for every discharge location the catching means for discharged ob jects 5, which objects, after they have been discharged, take about the position indicated with 5 (FIGS. 1 and 2). When, after the four catching devices 46, 46 each have received an object, shaft 44 in FIG. 1 is moved to the left by the closing of the switch 17 in the way described, the arms 46 will, under the influence of the weight of the objects swing to the right and drop the objects (vide 5 in the receiving device 48, which has been shown as an egg-tray.

With the ratchet wheel 19 also a further cam disc 28 has been connected, which cam disc cooperates with a follower roller 29, which via a double lever 30 with a fixed pivot center 31 and a link 32 is connected with an angle lever 33 having a fixed pivot center 34. Said angle lever 34 can unlock a ratchet wheel 35, that is subjected to a continuously working torque, e.g., by means of a nondrawn slip coupling, owing to which the ratchet wheel can carry out A revolution. By this an endless belt 37 is via a chain transmission 36 driven over a predetermined distance. The frame for the endless belt 37 via the link coupling 40, 41 is also swung up and down by means of a further cam disc 38, that cooperates with a follower roller 39 and is connected to the ratchet wheel 19.

The invention has the advantage, that for dropping the objects from the catching means 46', 46", only me chanical parts of relatively small mass have to be moved, so that the objects can be brought quickly out of the path of the objects still present in the containers and not yet discharged. After that enough time is available for conveying the objects by means of moving the receiving device 48. The shown embodiment of the catching arms 46, 46, provides a very sparing handling of the objects.

What I claim is:

1. A device for receiving a number of objects comprising a plurality of containers for continuous movement one after the other in succession along a predetermined path; discharge means for the containers; means for controlling said discharge means such that the containers discharge one after the other in succession; support means for a receiving device for the objects; a plurality of catching means positioned between the said predetermined path of the containers and the support means in a row parallel to said predetermined path, each of said catching means including movably mounted catching arms; control means for cooperating with all of said catching arms to effect movement of the catching arms simultaneously from a first, support position wherein said catching arms serve in supporting an object to a second, release position wherein said catching arms release a previously supported object; and lifting means mechanically coupled to said control means for imparting a driven vertical displacement to said support means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a movable support member for mounting said catching arms to permit displacement thereof and means for moving said support member.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a drivable endless belt and a frame for mounting said endless belt, one side of said frame being vertically movable and being coupled to said lifting means.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a driven rotating member, a cam disc coupled to said rotating member, and a cam follower cooperating with said catching arm control means.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said lifting means comprises a cam disc, a cam follower cooperating with said cam disc, and coupling means for coupling said cam follower to said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,983,892 12/1934 Barton 53-166 2,952,106 9/1960 Rostron 53-55 3,118,548 1/1964 Bliss et al.

3,220,154 11/1965 Van der Schoot 53-55 X TRAVIS S. McGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53246 

